Web notching device



Nov. 19, 1 968 K B, MAYNARD ETAL 3,411,390

WEB NOTCHING DEVICE Filed Jan. 12, 1967 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 FIG. 2

INVENTORS. VERL W. JENNINGS KENNETH B. MAYNARD ATTOR/V Y Nov. 19, 1968 K. B. MAYNARD ETAL 3,411,390

WEB NOTCHING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 12, 1967 United States latent O 3,411,390 WEB NOTCHING DEVICE Kenneth B. Maynard, Apalachin, N.Y., and Verl W.

Jennings, San Jose, Calif., assignors to'International Business Machines Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 12, 1967, Ser. No. 608,863 Claims. (Cl. 83-100) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE ture for facilitating the removal of sheared out portions of the web by vacuum.

Specification This invention relates to a web notching device. More specifically, this invention relates to a device for notching a web that is moving continuously and at a high speed.

Briefly, it has been relatively conventional practice to cut paper cards from a continuously moving web. As a result, stacks of paper cards are obtained with square corners. To obtain other than square corners, a web can be notched and subsequently severed along the line of notching. For example, if a web is notched with an arcuate shaped blade, subsequent cutting along the line of notching will produce round-cornered cards. Roundcornered cards have a number of advantages in card marking and card sensing apparatus, and are less likely to be damaged in storage and handling. Consequently, there has been a need for an effective notching apparatus. Several techniques for notching an endless web are already known, however, they lack the effectiveness of our apparatus.

One such prior art technique relates to the notching of a web by cutters which move in a reciprocating motion. In order to notch a web by this technique, a moving web must be stopped during notching. This results in lost time and is relatively inefficient.

Another technique is to pass a continuously moving web between two rotating cylinders. One of these cylinders is equipped with cutters and the other with die ports. The two cylinders are arranged such that the cutters enter the die ports when the cylinders are rotated adjacent to each other. A moving web, having a speed equal to the speed of rotation of the cylinders, is passed between said cylinders. As the web passes between the two cylinders, it is notched by the action of the cutters passing through the web, into the die ports. This technique has the disadvantage that the cutters dont shear completely through the web because of the clearance that must be maintained between the cutters and the die ports.

It is desirable to obtain clean notches by means of passing a blade through the plane of the web, while the web is moving continuously. One prior art attempt to achieve this relates to stretching a continuously moving endless web across two supports. A cutter and a die, moving at the same speed as the web, periodically come in contact with said web. At the instant of time, when the die contacts the web, the cutter passes through said web and said die port, notching said web. This last technique has various problems, because the moving web 3,411,390 Patented Nov. 19, 1968 lCe is supported only at the instant of notching. This results in a complicated mechanical configuration for synchronizing the exact position of the cutter, die, and the moving web. Certain limitations in speed are also inherent in this technique. Another disadvantage is the inability of this last-mentioned device to efficiently confine and remove the chips from the vicinity of the cutters.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an improved and simplified high speed means for notching a continuously movin web with speed, uniformity and neatness, that was heretofore unobtainable.

Another object of our invention is to completely shear portions of a desired shape from edges of a continuously moving web at precise predetermined intervals.

A further object of our invention is to provide an apparatus having an eflicient means for removing chips that are cut from the web.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of our invention.

FIG. 2 is another plan view with the cylindrical support rotated particularly showing the cutters and dies.

FIG. 3 shows the relationship of a cutter and a cam, the arrows depicting the coaction of these two elements.

FIG. 4 shows the relationship of a die to a cutter and further shows a hollow portion of the drive shaft, through which the chips are removed.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of one of the cutters, and its support.

According to our invention, as depicted in the preferred embodiment herein, a cylindrical support is provided for supporting a continuously moving web. The cylindrical support also supports two dies and two rotatable cutters, adjacent to said dies. The rotating cylinder (cylinder is used in the specification and claims interchangeably with cylindrical support) is provided with a speed of rotation equal to the speed of the moving web. As the web rotates with the portion of the cylinder having the dies, the cutters are moved through the web, into the dies, cutting chips from the edges of the moving web. The shape of the chip that is cut from the moving web depends on the particular shape of the dies, and the cutters. In the preferred embodiment, the die ports and the blades of the cutters have corresponding arcuate shapes, and a correspondingly shaped notch is cut from the moving web.

In the preferred embodiment, star-shaped cutters are rotatably mounted on the flat ends of the cylindrical support, and opposite each other. The direction of rotation of the cutters is in a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the cylinder. During every revolution of the cylinder, one of the blades of the cutters passes through the web into the die port, severing a chip from the edge of the web. The cutters are not rotated again until the cylinder is in a position for notching again, to prevent the blades from interfering with the web. Thus, in order not to obstruct the web or other parts of the apparatus, the cutters have an intermittent rotational motion. This rotational motion is provided by a cam arrangement which exerts a force on the back side of a blade of the cutters, causing said cutters to rotate. In the preferred embodiment, each of the cutters has three blades,

and therefore the cams turn the cutters one completerevolution, during three revolutions of the cylinder. In this manner, the continuously moving web is notched at precise intervals along its edge.

Description Referring generally to the figures and more specifically to FIG. 1, the cross-section of a web is shown being transported between guide roller 12 and cylinder 14. The cylinder is supported by drive shaft 16 and is rigidly mounted thereon. Drive shaft 16 is rotatably mounted in support 18. Star-wheel cutters 20 are rotatably mounted on the fiat sides of cylinder 14. Blades 22 are shown in contact with cams and act as followers. Drive shaft 16 is provided with gears at one end for engaging a source of rotation (not shown), which is synchronized with the speed of rotation of web 10. The direction of rotation of the drive shaft 16, cylinder 14, and cutters 26, are shown by arrows.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 2, cylinder 14 is shown rotated approximately 90 from its position in FIG. 1. In this position, die plates 40, 42, 44, and 46, are shown mounted flush with the surface of cylinder 14. The purpose of mounting the die plates flush is to prevent damaging the web as well as for providing a continuous support for the web. Die plates and 42 comprise one die and die plates 44 and 46 comprise a second die. Each of said dies forms a die port 49. Blades 24 of cutters 20 are shown in a position ready to pass through die ports 49 formed by the above-described die plates. For the purposes of this specification and the claims, the two die plates and one corresponding die port are referred to as a notching station.

Die plates 40, 42, 44, and 46 are held rigidly to cylinder 14 by screws 48. Screws 48 are constructed with shoulders of a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the screw holes of the die plates. In this way, the die plates are adjustable to a very high degree of accuracy for obtaining the desired tolerance between the dies and cutters 20. It will be further noted that all four die plates are of identical construction, and therefore interchangeable.

Drive shaft 16 is provided with a hollow space through a portion of its length. This hollow space 50 in shaft 16 communicates with a hollow portion in cylinder 14 extending to die ports 49. The purpose of hollow space 50 is to facilitate the removal of chips that are notched from web 10. Any suitable vacuum means may be attached to the hollow end of shaft 16, causing a stream of air to enter through die ports 49 and to pass through hollow space 50 in shaft 16. This stream of air will efliciently remove chips from the notching device continuously and Without the interruption of the operation of the device.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the coaction of cam 30 with the cutter 20 will be described. In normal operation, cam

30 remains stationary while cutter 20 moves in the direction shown by the arrows. Cutter 20 moves in translation in a direction indicated by arrow 31, said direction corresponding to the direction of arrow 31 in FIGS. 1, 2, and

4. Cutter 20 moves in rotation in a direction indicated by arrow 33. The direction indicated by arrow 33 corresponds to the rotation indicated by arrow 33 in FIGS. 1 and 5.

With continued reference to FIG. 3, cam 30 is shown in a preferred embodiment. Although a particular shape is shown, other shapes can be utilized to perform the same function. The important features of cam 30 relate to those surfaces which engage and rotate cutter 20. The construction of the remaining portions of cam 30 need merely to be such as to avoid interference with the moving parts of the notching device. Top surface 36 of cam 30 initially engages cutter 21 In FIG. 3, blade 22of cutter 20 is shown engaging surface 36. As cutter 20 reaches surface 34, the contact is between blade 22 and surface 34. Accordingly, a critical surface of cam 30 is top surface 36 up to the vicinity of line 39. Other surfaces that also engage the blades of the cutters, and are therefore critical, are surfaces 32 and 34. As shown in FIG. 3, for purposes of illustration, lines 35 and 37 define a sharp separation between the surfaces 32, 34, and 36. In

practice, these transitions should be smooth and gradual so that a uniform rotation of cutter 20 is achieved. As can be seen in FIG. 3, one edge of a blade of cutter 20 is engaged by the cam. It is the opposite edge of the blade that shears through the web so that the cutting edge of the blades is not dulled by coaction with the cam.

Refer now to FIG. 4 which particularly shows one cutter, one notching station comprising one die and one die port, a portion of the cylindrical support, and a portion of the drive shaft. The shape of die port 49 is particularly pointed out as being identical to the shape of blade 24. Also, the mounting of die plates 44 and 46, flush in recess 47 of cylindrical support 14 is specifically shown. It can also be seen that Screws 48 are recesse slightly from the surface of die plates 44 and 46, so that the web, wrapped about the die plates, will not be damaged. The mounting of cutters 20 on the end of cylinder 14 is also shown in this figure. Those skilled in the art will recognize that die port 49 could be formed directly from cylinder 14. Adjustment and replacement of the dies, however, would then not be possible.

FIG. 5 is a detailed drawing of a cutter 20, in a preferred embodiment of this invention. In previous figures, cutters 20 were seen attached to the ends of cylinder 14. In FIG. 5, screw holes 25 are shown. Screws (not shown) of any convenient design may be used to pass through screw holes 25 into threaded holes (not shown) in the flat ends of cylinder 14. It is desirable that the shoulders of the screws have a diameter slightly less than the diameter of screw holes 25, so that minor adjustments in the position of cutters 20 can be made. Arcuate blades 22, 24, and 26 are integral with each other as well as with shaft 23. The three blades are separated from each other by approximately An arcuate shape is shown, in this preferred embodiment, but as previously mentioned, this shape is in no way restrictive. Shaft 23 is rotatably mounted in blocks 28. We prefer to make blocks 28 of brass or similar material suitable for bearings. It is not our intention, however, to restrict blocks 28 to any given material, as even plastics could be used.

1316. 5 also shows a detent system comprising detent spring 29 and detent head 27. Detent head 27 is shown rigidly mounted on shaft 23. It should be noted that this detent head has three narrow and three broad sides, alternately placed. Spring 29 is shown bearing against one of the edges of detent 27. The normal direction of rotation of cutters 20 is as shown by arrow 33. In the position shown in FIG. 5, cutter 20 is stationary, rotation being normally prevented by blade 22 (in FIG. 5 position) bearing slightly against surface 38 of cam 30, during the dwell part of the cycle. This is the primary function of the detent system, namely, to stabilize the cutters during the dwell part of the cycle and thus prevent chattering of the blade. Additionally, when blade 22 reaches a point where it no longer bears against surface 38 of cam 30, spring 29 assists in the initial rotation of cutters 20 as the other side of the same blade (blade 26 in FIG. 5 as shown) engages surface 36 of cam 30. Spring 29, therefore, also prevents cutters 20 from rotating in the reverse direction.

Operation In operation, a continuous web 10 is passed between guide roller 12 and cylinder 14. The web remains in contact with the surface of cylinder 14 for a sufficient time to perform a complete notching operation. After the web is notched, web 10 passes from cylinder 14 to other guide means (not shown). Cylinder 14 is driven by drive shaft 16 which, in turn, is connected to the same power source (not shown) that drives web 10. In this way, cylinder 14 rotates continually and at the same rate as the speed of web 10 moving with it. There is therefore no relative motion between the web 10 and cylinder 14, while they are in contact.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be seen that as cylinder 14 rotates, it carries die ports 49 and cutters 20' at the same speed and in the same direction, as shown by arrow 31.

As cutters 20 are thus carried in translation by cylinder 14, the blades of the cutters are rotated by engagement with cam 30. The direction of rotation of the cutters is shown by arrow 33 in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, cutters 20 are shown with blade 22 engaging cam 30, immediately before blade 24 is to notch web 10. The axis of rotation of cutters 20, shown by arrows 33, is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of cylinder 14.

The detailed operation of cutter 20, as it engages cam 30, is shown clearly in FIG. 3. Normally, cam 30 is stationary, and cutter 20 is carried in translation in a circular path, as shown by arrow 31, by the cylinder. Blade 22 of cutter 20 initially engages surface 36 of cam 30 as shown. As cutter 20 proceeds a little further along its translational path (31), it can be seen that the angled top surface 36 urges it into a direction of rotation shown by arrow 33. At the same time, blade 24 is brought into position for notching. As cutter 20 proceeds still farther along its translational path (31), blade 22 engages edg 35 of cam 30. Edge 35 is shown as a sharp dividing line between surfaces 32, 34, and 36. As was pointed out earlier, in practice, a smooth transition between surfaces 32, 34, and 36 is desired in order to assure smooth rotation of cutter 20. During this time, as cutter 20 is carried in translation, as shown by arrow 31, engagement of blade 22 with cam 30 rotates cutter 20 in a direction shown by arrow 33. As cutter 20 proceeds still farther along its path, blade 22 engages surface 34, and finally surface 38. At this point, as cutter 20 passes edge 39 and engages surface 38, it has completed its rotation and blade 24 (in this particular example) has completely notched the web. Further rotation of cutter 20 is not possible as blade 26 engages surface 38. Cutter 20 is now carried in translation only in a position shown in FIG. 5. Thus, to prevent the blades from interfering with the web as well as the notches, the cutters have no rotational motion during a portion of a complete revolution of the cylinder. The cylinder, however, rotates continuously, and at the speed of the moving web.

Referring now to FIG. 5, spring 29 is seen exerting a force on detent head 27. By this force of spring 29, cutter 20 is initially urged into rotation. If cutter 20 were not restrained in some manner, it would rotate until the flat side of detent head 27 came in contact with spring 29. Cutter 20, however, is prevented from rotating by surface 38 of cam 30 which now bears against blade 26. Cutter 20 is thus stabilized and prevented from chattering.

Referring to FIG. 3 for a last time, it is seen how cutter 20 cannot rotate as long as surface 38 engages blade 26. As cutter 20, however, proceeds along the path shown by arrow 31 a point is reached where surface 38 terminates. At this point, spring 29 urges cutter 20 into rotation and blade 26 engages top surface 36 of cam 30. Cutter 20 is back to its original translational position, but it has been rotated approximately 120 degrees.

The foregoing example has shown the operation of the cut-ters and earns of the notching device of our invention as cylinder 14 completed one revolution. It can be seen that although cylinder 14 has completed one revolution, cutter 20 has only completed one third of a rotation about its axis 23. Accordingly, it clearly follows that two more identical revolutions of cylinder 14 are needed for cutter 20 to rotate 360. It was also shown how the rotational motion of cutter 20 about its axis 23 is intermittent, said cutter being stationary for the greater portion of any given revolution of cylinder 14.

Lastly, the chip removal means will be described. With particular reference to FIG. 4, die port 49 and hollow space 50 are shown. Any convenient vacuum means may be attached to shaft 16 so that air entering die port 49, under atmospheric pressure, will pass through a previously described hollow space in cylinder 14 through hollow space 50, away from the notching device. This stream of air will carry away the chips that are notched from the web. The chips are thus removed continuously during the notching process through the hollow spaces. Through this feature of our invention, the chips cannot accumulate or fall anywhere in the device, but rather, are confined and controlled at all times.

In summary, to notch a continuously moving web it is first guided onto cylinder 14 by roller 12. The continuously moving web remains in contact with cylinder 14 for a length of time that is determined by the positioning of other guide means after the notching operation. Since the web and the cylinder are driven from the same source, they move at the same rate, with no relative motion during the time they are in contact. Die ports 49 and cutters 20, being mounted on cylinder 14, also travel at the same rate. Cutters 20 are rotatably mounted on cylinder 14 and have an axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cylinder. In order to prevent the cutters from interfering with the web or other parts of the mechanism, they have no rotational motion during a portion of a complete revolution of the cylinder. Cam means 30 intermittently rotate cutters 20, One blade of said cutters passing through the web, and into die port 49, completely shearing out two portions at opposite edges of the web, in the shape of the cutter blades and die ports. One of the blades of the cutter acts as a follower to the cam as another blade notches the web. The chips so notched from the edges of the web are removed by vacuum means, without interrupting the notching operation. The continuously moving web is thus notched at precisely predetermined intervals, the exact distance between notches being approximately equal to the circumference of cylinder 14. A continuously moving web notched by the device of this invention can be subsequently severed along the line of notching, by conventional means, for obtaining a plurality of cards having round corners, or other desired shapes, or can be severed at a point intermediate of the notches for providing cards with interior notches.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for notching a continuously moving web comprising:

web guiding means for guiding the moving web onto a rotatable support;

a rotatable support, having means for rotating at a rate equal to the speed of the moving web, such that there is no relative motion between the Web and the surface of the rotatable support during the time they are in contact, a portion of said support forming a plurality of dies;

a plurality of cutters, each comprising a plurality of blades, rotatably mounted on said support, each of said cutters being mounted adjacent to a die; and

means for rotating said cutters causing at least one blade of said cutters to pass through a die port formed by one of said dies, thereby notching opposite edges of the web as said web rotates with the dies.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the cutters are rotated in a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotatable support.

3. A device as in claim 1 including vacuum means for removal of the sheared out portions of the moving web from the vicinity of the dies.

4. A device as in claim 1 wherein the means for rotating the cutters comprises:

spring means for stabilizing said cutters and for initiating the rotation of said cutters; and

cam means for intermittently rotating said cutters.

5. An apparatus as in claim 4 wherein the cutters comprise:

a plurality of blades, said blades being arranged in a star shape;

one of said blades engaging and thereby following the cam means;

another of said blades passing through the web, thereby notching said web;

still other blades, clearing all portions of the apparatus and the Web;

thereby notching said web at precise predetermined intervals.

6. An apparatus for notching a continuously moving web comprising:

a cylindrical support having a web wrapped about a portion of its surface, and being rotatable at the speed of the moving web;

two dies rigidly mounted in, and flush with, the curved surface of said cylindrical support;

two cutters, each comprising a plurality Of blades, ro-

tatably mounted, one on each of the flat ends of said cylindrical support, and adjacent to said dies; and

means for rotating said cutters when the moving web is in contact with said dies, causing at least one blade of each of said cutters to shear through said continuously moving web.

7. An apparatus as in claim 6 wherein the cutters are rotated in a plane perpendicular to the plane of rotation of the rotatable support.

8. A device as in claim 6 including vacuum means for removal of the sheared out portions of the moving web from the vicinity of the dies.

9. A device as in claim 6 wherein the means for rotating the cutters comprises:

spring means for stabilizing said cutters and for initiating the rotation of said cutters; and

cam means for intermittently rotating said cutters.

10. An apparatus as in claim 9 wherein the cutters comprise:

a plurality of blades, said blades being arranged in a star shape;

one of said blades engaging and thereby following the cam means;

another of Said blades passing through the web, thereby notching said web;

still other blades, clearing all portions of the apparatus and the web;

thereby notching said web at precise predetermined intervals.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS JAMES M. MEISTER, Primary Examiner. 

